The Opening Statement
A Discussion of Life, God, and Our Natural Order
Mortality
I have never had a near-death experience myself. However, in the 1980s, my father suffered a severe heart attack, and for a time, we came very close to losing him. He survived and went on to live many more years.
Later, he told me about what he experienced during his heart surgery. He was visibly shaken as he would try to describe it. I could see the fear on his face—the kind of fear that lingers long after the danger has passed. The story, and the way he told it, left a deep impression on me. Looking back, I now recognize it as one of my major revelations.
My dad wasn’t a religious man, at least not outwardly. He often joked about being a “backslider.” Yet his story revealed something important: he believed deeply enough to fear that he might be in trouble with God. What he described felt like his worst imagined version of hell.
At the time, I regret that I lacked the clarity in my own faith to be more help to him.
Reflections on Near-Death Experiences
Years later, I spent time studying other near-death experiences. Many described extraordinary reunions, overwhelming beauty, and a profound sense of peace—so deep that people struggled to find words for it.
There was also a consistent correlation between the nature of their experience and how they believed they stood in the eyes of God. Those who felt at peace with God tended to have wonderful visions of what they had hoped for and more. Those who believed they were in conflict with God did not seem to fare as well.
What Changed Afterward
There’s an old saying: “It’s not what you say, it’s what you do.”
I often wondered whether studies of near-death experiences might be more revealing if they focused less on verifying the claims themselves and more on what happened afterward. Many people who reported these experiences showed lasting changes in behavior—greater compassion, reduced fear, and a deeper sense of purpose.
It might have been more revealing to interview the people closest to them—their families, friends, and coworkers—rather than debating the mechanics of the experience itself.
Mortality and Eternal Life
From the reflections of those who have survived near-death experiences, my understanding of the nature of our Creator, and the natural order of our world, I’ve come to believe the following.
As much as I would like to believe differently, I am not the center of the universe. The world does not revolve around me. I am a small, but not insignificant, part of the Creator’s master plan.
My purpose in life is to serve along with others, contributing my inherent skills, creativity, and labor to the betterment of the world. Then, with honor and gratitude, I will return to the ground from which I came to make room for the next generation, who will be bringing their skills and talents to continue where I left off.
Our Spirit Lives On
There are and likely always will be diverse beliefs regarding the question of human afterlife. The reason for this is clear. As of the date of this writing, it is not knowable. Not knowable by me or any others. This void in our understanding provides space for a multitude of theories to sprout and flourish. I have my theories as well.
Human afterlife has a couple of very different meanings. I will briefly touch on both now.
First meaning: legacy.
There is undeniable proof that our spirit lives on beyond our death. Mister Nightingale provided clues to this in his timeless message. A slight change in his wording will make it clear.
“Our rewards in the afterlife will be proportional to the quality and quantity of our service to others in our current life.”
This is ironic and a perfect fit for the image of the Creator.
Our spirit will live on through our lineage and in the memory of those in our orbit whom we have served. It is fitting that those we serve in this life will have the final say as to the nature and longevity of our legacy. This is as true as it is just.
Heroes and villains alike leave their mark on the world, and their spirit could potentially live on eternally. The nature and longevity of their legacy, like ours, will depend on the quality and quantity of their contributions to the world.
Each of us will leave our mark. The significance of this mark will depend less on what we take from the world and more on what we leave.
Second meaning: Heaven/Hell
Though I cannot know with certainty, there is evidence that our spirit survives mortal death and exists in some unknown realm. The nature of which seems to link to our alignment with God and self.
Those with this inner peace may experience an existence filled with the beauty, meaning, and peace they hoped for—along with wonders only God could conceive, including reunion with those held dear.
Those with inner conflict may experience the existence they feared.
It’s Your Move
Earl’s message reminds us that if we want more rewards in life, we must serve more people. I would expand this to include our afterlife.
Understanding this can be a gift when we realize that it is not too late to start carving our mark. Before the clock makes another tick, we can begin anew and focus our effort on the quality and quantity of our service to others which honors God and brings spiritual fulfillment to ourselves.
Would the prescription be different regardless of what theory of an afterlife we subscribed to? I think not.
Let’s get off our pews and get to chopping wood.